Wrench.



JOHN E. JENSON, OF MINNEOTA, MINNESOTA.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Latentecl Maron 19, 1907.

Application filed September 26,1906. Serial No. 336,309.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. JENsoN, a citizen ,of the United States,residing at Minneota, in the county of Lyon and State of Minnesota, haveinvented a new and useful Wrench, of which the following is aspecification.

rIhe present invention relates to a wrench of the quick-action type inwhich the movable jaw is capable of being quickly and readily movedlongitudinally ofthe shank of the wrench for adjusting the jaws of thelatter to anut, bolt, or the like, and then securely clamped by suitablefastening means.

rIhe invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of wrenches of this character, so as torender them durable, reliable, and effi.- cient and capable of tightlygripping an object with a minimum expenditure of effort on the part ofthe user.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a member attachedto the movable jaw of the wrench, which serves as a grip, whereby theoperator can quickly adjust the movable jaw by a simple longitudinalmovement and clamp or unclamp the jaw by a simple rotary movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping member whichduring movement of the movable jaw of the wrench rides freely along theshank of the latter and which is adapted to be clamped in fixed positionrelative to the shank when the movable jaw is locked.

With these objects in view, and others, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the invention comprises the variousnovel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will bemore fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in theclaims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments ofthe invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the wrench, Fig. 2 is a viewshowing parts of the wrench partially in section and in elevation. Fig.3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an endview of a threaded sleeve mounted on the hollow shank of the movablejaw. Fig. 5 is an end view of the movable jaw, taken from the shankside. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a fixed jaw. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of the clamping-nut or clutch member.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the fixed jaw of the wrench,which is of the usual construction and provided with a shank 2, having ahexagonal or equivalent cross-section for about a third of its length atthe jaw end 3, and a round cross-section throughout the rest of itslength, the round portion of the shank being cut with a square thread ofcomparatively coarse pitch. 'lhe extremity of the shank 2 is reduced andprovided with a ythread 3 for receiving the wooden or othersleeve-shaped handle 4. Ihe handle 4 is lined with a metallic sleeve 5,having an internal shoulder 6, that is tapped to screw on the thread 3.'lhe shoulder 6 is set in a slight distance from the outer end of thesleeve to form a socket 7 for receiving j the jam-nut 8, that screws onthe thread 3 an binds against the shoulder 6. By this means the sleeveon the handle 4 is rigidly secured to the shank of the wrench.

The movable jaw 9 is provided with a tubular shank 10, which has a borecorresponding to the cross-section on the hexagonal portion 3 of themain shaft, so as to have a working fit therewith. Independent rotarymovement of the jaws is thus prevented, while at the same timepermitting relative longitudinal adjustment. Assembled around the shank10 of the movable jaw is a sleeve 11, having a bore corresponding to theexterior of the hollow shank 10, which latter lis also angular onr itsexterior and preferably hexagonal. The sleeve 11 is provided with athread 12 of substantial proportion and of any suitable pitch. Thethreaded sleeve 11 is almost the same length as the hollow shank 10 andis retained in position thereon by a nut 13, shaped somewhat like aferrule and having threaded engagement on the end of the shank 10 of themovable jaw. rI`he ICO length of the sleeve 11 is such that a slightclearance is provided between one end and the nut 13 and between theother end and jaw 9, so as to permit of a limited longitudinal movementof the sleeve on the shank of the movable jaw. In some cases, however,the sleeve as a separate part may be dispensed with and the thread 12provided directly on the shank 10.

The mechanism for permitting the movable jaw to have a quicklongitudinal action and for quickly clamping the said jaw to any IIOadjusted position comprises a circular clamping nut or clutcn member 14,Figs. 2 and 7, having short threads or projections 15, that engage thegroove 16 of the coarse thread on the main shank 2, and aclamping-sleeve 17, arranged in cooperative relation with the member 14.the Working it between the parts 15 of the member 14 and the said groove16 are such that the nut is capable of being moved bodily along theshank 2 Without offering any undue resistance. The clamping-nut orclutch member 14 is confined between i two transverse gripping-Wallsarranged on opposite sides thereof and formed one by the stop-nut 13 andthe other by the internal annular shoulder 18, provided on theclamping-sleeve 17. The Walls 18 and 19 and member 14 form a sort ofclutch device, whereby the movable jaw can be lecked in any position. 17is internally threaded at one end to engage the threads 12 of the sleeve11, and by turning the clamping-sleeve 17 in one direction the shoulderor Wall 18 is drawn into frictional engagement With the member 14, andthe latter is moved into engagement With the Wall 19, thereby firmly themember 14 in a fixed position, so that the jaw 9 will be immovable. Byunseren'- ing the clamping-sleeve 17 a turn er so the member 14 isdisengaged, so that the movable jaw can be freely moved along the shank2 in one direction or the other. During the movement of the movable jawin either direction the member 14 is also moved along the shank, theaxial movement thereof being accompanied'by a rotary movement due to thethread 16. Since the member14 cannot be moved along the shank 2 'Withoutan accompanying rotary movement, it is obvious that the clutching of thesaid mem ber between the Walls 18 and 19 will prevent its rotation, andhence its axial movement. The thrust from the movable j aw 19 while theWrench is used contributes in a large measure to clamp the member 14,since the thrust tends to urge the nut 13 tighter against the saidmember. The end of the clamping member 17 opposite from the threadedportien thereof is prolonged and disposed in telescoping relation to themetal sleeve 5 of the handle, which is also prolonged. By

having these two parts telescoped in this i manner the shank 2 isincased. The exteriorsurface of the clamping member is corrugated,milled, or otherwise formed to afford a gripping-surface for the hand.By means of a clamping or clutching device of the character describedthe adjustment ofthe movable jaw is accomplished by gripping theclamping member 17 in one hand While holding the handle 4 in the other,and then moving the gripping member so as to open the aW for spanning anut, for instance. The

The pitch of the groove 16 and E The clamping-sleeve i l l j l lclamping member is then shifted longitudinally in the oppositeoirection, so that the jaws 1 and 9 ill engage the opposite side of thenut. The clamping member is next rotated until the member 14 is lirml)-clamped. rl `he movable jaw will then be positively locked and heldimmovable until the member 17 is again unclamped. Briefly, then, theadjusting of the wrench and locking of the same is accomplished lirst bya lon gitudinal movement of the clampin member 17 and next by a rotarymovement. lt \\fill thus be seen that the action of the wrench is quickand simple both in adjusting it to the nut ane` unl'astening the sametherefrom.

W hat is claimed is 1. A wrench comprising a ilixed jaw, a shankconnected thcrenfith having a coarse thread of quick pitch, a movable jaw guided on and prevented from rotation by the shank,

clamping a clamping member movable longitudinally of the shank androtatably mounted on the movable j aw, a nut inclosed by the said memberand engaging the thread of the shank, a means connected with the movablejaw and against which the nut is clamped by the said member for holdingthe nut in 'fixed position to lock the movable jaw, and a handle on theshank.

2. A Wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank connected therewith having athread of quick pitch, a movable an' having a shank sleeved on thefirst-mentioned shank, a nut at the end of the shank of the movable jawand engaging the thread of the first shank to receive a rotary movementtherefrom, and a sleeve connected with the movable jaw by lost-motionconnection for clamping the said nut against rotation.

3. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank connected therewith which isprovided with a coarse thread of quick pitch, a nut threaded on theshank to move freely there on, a movable jaw, and a member movablelongitudinally to quickly adjust the :movable jaw and rotatable forclamping the said. nut and jaw together and in fixed relation to theshank.

4. A Wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank connected therewith, a nutthreaded on the shank to move freely thereon, a mevable jaw, anon-rotatable sleeve connected with the movable jaw and exteriorlythreaded throughout its length, and a clamping member threaded to thesaid sleev and sur.-

t rounding the nut for clamping the latter in fnxed position. and forreleasing the nut to adjust the said movable aw.

5. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank having a threaded portion, anut engaging the said portion, a movable jaw having a hollow shankmovable on the hrst shank, an exteriorly-tlneaded sleeve mounted on thelollew shank to have a limited longitudinal movement, and a clampingmember thread ICC ed to the said sleeve and having a shoulder shankconnected therewith having a thread arranged to engage the nut to holdthe same of quick pitch, anut movable along the said in ixed positionand prevent movement of l thread and having i'lat parallel sides, amovthe movable jaw. i able jaw, and clutching devices connected 6. Awrench comprising a fixed jaw, a with the movable jaw which are adaptedto shank having a thread of quick pitch, a movy, be moved toward or awayJfrom each other to able jaw having a hollow shank sleeved on engage ordisengage the sides of the said nut, the Jfirst-mentioned shank, athreaded sleeve L 9. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movably mountedon the hollow shank, a 1 shank connected therewith having athreadstop-nut for retaining the sleeve in position, i ed portion ofround cross-section and an una clamping-sleeve having a threaded engagelthreaded portion oi angular cross-section, a ment with the threadedsleeve, and a nut enmovable jaw guided on the angular portion gaging the'thread of the iirst-mentioned of the shank and held from rotationthereby, shank and arranged to be clutched between l a nut engaging thethreaded portion of the the stop-nut and clamping-sleeve. 1 shank forpreventing movement of the mov- 7. A wrench comprising a iixed jaw, aable jaw, a clamping member connected shank having a thread vof quickpitch, a movwith the movable jaw Jfor gripping and releasable jaw on theshank having a transverse l, ing the said nut, a handle, and a sleevesecurgripping-wall, a sleeve connected with the ing the handle to theshank and arranged in movable jaw to move therewith and to have i anindependent rotary movement, a transtelescoping relation to the clampingmember. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as verse wall on thesleeve, anda nut engaging g my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature inthe thread of the shank and arranged bei the presence of two witnesses.

tween the said transverse walls to be gripped f JOHNK E. JENSON.

thereby for holding the movable jaw stal Witnesses: tionary. i O. L.Donn,

l E. B. LELAND.

8. A wrench comprising a iiXed jaw, a

